More Than Good Enough
by baby's breath
Summary: She did all her best, yet it was not enough. Time seemed to play back the past of what had happened before, but will the results be the same? [SasukexSakura]


...I do not own Naruto...

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**More Than Good Enough**

by baby's breath

_-Old Acquaintance-_

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Darkness loomed over the village of Konohagakure. Silence hugged the peaceful village as everyone was in their respectful abode, snuggled in the warm covers of their blankets and soft pillows sleeping peacefully. Ninjas guarding the gates of the said village sat near the entrance, all alert for possible danger that may threaten the amity of their village. Though each of them had composed features on their shadowed faces, they were relaxed and not stiff. The two men on the northern part of the gates continued their night shift, as the guy with purple hair leaning on the wall puffed smoke out of his mouth. The other one, possessing black locks of unruly mane tied in a high ponytail sat at a chair, somehow managing to play solitaire despite the darkness of his surrounding. His companion blew another round of smoke from his cigarette, the grayish thing forming a perfect 'O' only to be blown by the crisp breeze that whisked by.

A slight ray of the moonlight shone below the two men as the dark clouds covering the mesmerizing moon parted. The lone pearl hanging in the black blanket shone through them. Another gust of gentle breeze blew past the two Leaf shinobis, and a few leaves rustled nearby. The trees' branches that bordered the village swayed with the wind. Another batch of clouds covered the lone pearl of the dark sky, bringing darkness with it once more. The purple-haired guy puffed the last of the smoke from his cigarette before throwing it to the ground, crushing it with his left foot to turn off the last of the spark of red flame from it. Not long after that, he heard a rustling sound, followed by a thud. He tilted his head to the side to find his companion slouched on his seat, his arms dangling lifelessly to his sides, cards scattered on the ground. He perked up his senses and as he grabbed a kunai from his holster he felt a sharp object connect on his back before his eyes closed and he fell to the ground with a loud thud, blood spurting out of his body from the slash on his back.

A shadowy figure stood before the dead bodies of the two shinobis for a moment before he shifted his feet and vaulted to the roofs of Konohagakure's houses. He moved furtively without a sound. His movements were flawless and graceful, like that of a cat. His feet landed on the tiled roofs with a soft sound before bounding off to another one. The moon illuminating his movements.

Its aglow shone on his face revealing pale skin and dark locks of raven hair that spikes at the back. He was wearing a robe that showed his well-defined chest. A rope-like garment was tied on his waist, and he was wearing black pants to complete his apparel. His sandals were black, and a Kusunagi sword was tied on his back. His face held coldness, and his eyes were the finishing touch for his spectral appearance. They were a shade of blood red with three tomoes on each eye.

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In the midst of the training grounds of the former Team Seven, a lone figure sat on the grassy grounds panting. Not much has changed in their training grounds even after three years. The three posts still stood, the memorial stone was still there. The greenery showed signs of life in the place along with trees and bushes. But right now, two posts were studded with lots of kunais and shurikens. The third one was uprooted from its place, lying farther back of the two remaining posts. Kunais and shurikens were also embedded on the lumber and it was broken in half.

Silence reigned in the aphotic vicinity. Only harsh breathing could be heard. A few crickets made sound from behind the tall trees. A sudden burst of cool wind brought relief to the person who was sitting on the ground. She was sweating and pink strands of hair stick awkwardly on her slightly large forehead. Her hands were propped on her sides acting as a support and her legs were slightly bent form its perch on the ground. The moon shone down on her as it was freed from the clouds that was blocking it. Her dirt covered face was full of small cuts on various places and her breathing was still fast.

After a few more minutes, she stood up. Her feet threatened to gave away and her knees buckled. She used her right hand to support her weight before giving a slight push on it and shifting her left foot forward to stand up fully. Her hand made its way to her forehead to push the strands of her roseate hair. She stood still for a while enjoying the serenity of the place. The cold temperature soothed her warm body. Then she closed her eyes and heaved a deep breath. Once again, she opened them revealing emerald orbs.

She slowly went into a fighting stance, her back slowly bent and her hands balled into fists. Her feet were slightly angled and she moved her left foot forward. Her eyes were focused on one of the post and her right fist was extended in front of her while her left arm was slightly bent into a ninety degree angle on her side. She raised her right fist and pulled it backward preparing for a strike.

A crack was heard, and the post shook a little from her punch. She did not mind the projectiles that was sticking from it at first. She withdrew her fist, now covered in blood as it made contact with the sharp sides of the kunais and shurikens. She stared at it for a moment before sighing and taking off the weapons stuck on the wood fast. A clanking noise was heard as the metal weapons landed on top of each other. She went back to her fighting stance again before applying another blow on the wooden post. This time, a hole was formed on the trunk of the post. She seemed satisfied with it as she continued assaulting the wood with her punches. Each non-charka infused punch made the hole deeper and bigger. She grunted every time her fist connected with the rough surface of the post, but she would not stop even if it was uncomfortable.

Another punch was delivered on the post.

_'Not good enough'_

This time she delivered a kick on her training dummy.

_'It's still not enough'_

Another punch.

_'I was not good enough'_

A swooshing sound and a kick on the side of the post.

_'I can't save Kakashi-sensei...'_

She continued her assault on the training dummy, her mind traveling back to their recent mission. She vented out all her emotions on her training. Each of her punch helped her take out all the anger she felt. She was angry to herself because she was weak. She felt ashamed because she was not able to do anything back then. She felt that all those training and apprenticeship were nothing. Wasted and thrown to nothingness.

She felt so weak and useless.

It had been a B-rank mission, where she, Naruto and their sensei, now their colleague, was tasked to escort a feudal lord to Iwagakure and back. Everything was going well and according to plan until the time they were traveling back to Konohagakure. An S-class missing-nin had stopped them along the way. She was asked to stand back and protect their client while her two companions fought. Her body was itching to fight, but she had a task at hand. Everything had happened so fast that it was all a blur to her.

The only thing that was clear was blood. Her sensei's blood.

She ran to his aide while her blonde friend battled the nukenin. Her medical instincts kicked in and she immediately placed a hand on his chest. Some sort of weapon had left a big wound on his left chest, puncturing his left lung severely. She could hear his heavy breathing as if it was his last. His hand traveled to hers that was healing his wound, squeezing it gently telling her to stop. But she was stubborn and she kept on healing him, tears flowing freely from her emerald orbs down her cheeks. At the background, she heard Naruto yelling the name of the technique Jiraiya had taught him, followed by a loud scream that belongs to the enemy. And everything was blurred again as she lost consciousness from chakra depletion.

The only thing she remembered was the closing of the only visible eye of her beloved sensei before everything went black.

A lone, salty tear fell from her left eye. She punched the post harder for the last time before it finally fell to the ground with a loud thud. She panted, her shoulders moving up and down as she breathed. She wiped away the tear with the back of her hand, a feeble attempt it was as more and more tears cascaded.

He was dead, and she wasn't able to do anything about it. And after two months, she still blamed herself on it. So she trained harder than before, even if her body couldn't take it anymore. Until she fell unconscious due to exhaustion. She would not stop, even if her friends would tell her to do so.

_'I was weak'_

She took a step forward, her feet wobbling, making her way to the last post.

_'I almost lost Naruto too'_

Another step.

_'I was not good enough'_

She steadied herself and raised her left arm, her hand balled into a fist. Tears streaming down her cheeks to her chin before falling to the ground. This time, her mind wandered back to the time when she and Naruto had a mission together and was cornered by a member of the Akatsuki. He was wearing a mask and the signature clothes of all the Akatsuki members. He was strong and was able to knock Naruto out for a while. She had fought considerably to keep Tobi, as he had introduced, away from Naruto, until Jiraiya and Kakashi came for back-up. Naruto was in a coma due to a severe head injury and again she blamed herself for that. He was asleep for three weeks and each passing day, she never failed to visit him. She would talk about how her day went hoping that somehow he could hear her and would wake up. She would stay for a while until a medic-nin would go to the room and announce to her that visiting hours were over. She would stare at his face, from his closed eyes to the whisker-like marks on his cheeks, before departing only to return the next day.

The worry was washed away when one time, she was back at his bed side again talking about the events that had occurred that day. Her eyes caught the movements of his fingers and how he slowly opened his eyes to stare at her. Ocean-blue eyes stared back to her emerald ones. A wave of happiness washed over her and she hugged him tightly vowing to be stronger at the same time.

_'And even him...'_

She delivered a kick to the side of the post followed by a punch in the middle.

_'I was so weak, I gave all...my heart...'_

She paused, as she stumbled to the ground knees first trying to catch her breath.

_'Yet I couldn't stop him...'_

She placed a glowing hand on her left fist to heal the bruises and cuts. The wounds on her fist slowly closed. When she was done she turned to the other one and healed it the same way. Her alerted senses caught swooshing movements from the canopy of the trees that surrounded the training grounds. Yet she just pushed it aside, but she left her guard up.

Her bent knees straightened and she poised to strike the training dummy again. The caliginosity of the surrounding was suddenly unnerving. An arm was pulled back, ready to strike. But instead of landing on the wooden post, it striked the ground creating cracks. The ground parted and a particular tree that was on the way of the growing crack shook. It leaned to the side for the roots cannot hold its immense weight anymore.

Just as she suspected, someone was spying on her. A black silhouette of a man landed in front of her and she could not help but feel a little intimidated for some reason. His aura was terrifying. His composure showed confidence. And she could tell he was an elite. Her eyes traveled form his broad shoulder to his face, her senses on guard.

And as if by cue, the moon's ray shone down on him avowing pale skin, black hair...

and red eyes.

The Sharingan.

"S-Sasuke...?"

Her eyes took in the form of the man that was invading her thoughts just a while ago. From his still adept face, his matured form, and how he had become strong just judging by his appearance. Time seemed to stand still as they gazed at each other. A gale of chilly wind drafted past the two figures under the bright moonlight. The trees oscillated and she choked on her own saliva from trying to keep the tears that were threatening to fall.

He twisted his foot to leave. And just as he was about to turn his back away from her like what he always did, her movement caused him to halt.

Step.

"Sasuke...kun"

Another step.

"What are you doing h-here?"

Another step followed by another one.

"Sakura."

The sound of his voice forced her to stop her advancements. It was cold and very apathetic. A chill ran down her back as it reached her ears. It was deep and full. It sounded so much of a grown man.

That voice.

The one she had so longed to hear. The one that had always haunted her dreams at night.

"Go home and sleep."

His back was still facing her, his arms hanging limply to his sides. His spiky hair billowed with the wind and his long sleeves swayed to its direction. Sakura unconsciously brought her hand to her chest as tears sprang from her emerald orbs. She took another cautious step reducing the gap between the two of them. Her heart skipped as he made a move to leave. She panicked.

He was leaving again.

Before she could even stop herself, her mouth opened and she spoke.

"Naruto..."

Sasuke's steps slowly ceased upon hearing the fox boy's name.

"You're after him aren't you...?"

"Hn."

Sakura knew everything. Naruto had told her everything that she does not know about himself, and the things that had happened during his fight with Sasuke in the Valley of the End. She had the full knowledge of the reason behind his sudden appearance. Her heart ached as the feeling of sadness overwhelmed her. This person was not the Sasuke she had learned to love.

This person would do anything to have his revenge.

He had planned on killing Naruto when they fought. For he was whom he considered as his closest friend. Back then he wasted the opportunity. He did not want to be like the man he had sworn to kill. But it was three years ago.

And time changes people.

Now he was determined to kill him, even sneaking in to his former village to accomplish his task. He was on his way to his target's house when he happened to pass by the clearing that was very familiar to him. Sounds of punches connected to woods reached his sensitive ears and a flash of pink was caught by his bloodshot eyes. Curiosity flooded over him and he changed his course to the direction of the sound's source. And he found her there training non-stop.

"Why? I've told you before... revenge won't bring you happiness."

Sakura laid her gaze on his back. The memory of the time she had tried to stop him from leaving flashed back before her. Sasuke was standing in front of her wearing his high-collared shirt with the Uchiha clan's symbol at the back. His hands stuffed inside his pockets. And a bag on his back. The vision faded, only to be replaced by the image of a grown-up man she doesn't know anymore. The same face and body, yet his heart was made of ice that even the hottest of all ember could not melt. It was colder than before.

"Sasuke, if you kill Naruto... you are not different to your brother!"

Sakura noticed how his shoulders stiffened upon hearing his brother being mentioned. She knew she was risking everything. But if it could convince him to stay and keep him from taking Naruto's life, then so be it. She would dig her own grave if she had to. Anything to pull him out of the darkness he had drown himself in. Anything to give light to his miserable life.

"My life... I had only lived in order to avenge my family..." Sasuke voiced out.

Sakura's eyes lowered down to the ground. His shadow was looming over her stretching from the ground. Once more, dark clouds floated tediously across the nighttime sky, blocking the full moon. Everything was happening once again. That miserable day was occurring once more. It might be in a different place at a different time but it was all the same.

He was there. She was there.

He was leaving. She was trying to stop him.

His back was on her. And she was crying.

"Please..."

A moment of silence passed as the word was uttered. A silver tear fell to the ground.

"Stay."

One word. Yet it expressed thousands of meanings. Hundreds of emotions.

"We had gone to our different paths... we can't go back now."

Sakura took another step, the sound of the crushing grass was heard. She extended her arm trying to reach the man who was so near to her right now. The same person whom she had poured out all her love. Whom she had given her heart to.

Only to be broken into million pieces.

"Sasuke, why don't you just stay and be happy here with us... with me."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. Tears traced a path on her cheeks as it glowed under the moonlight. She lowered her hand for he was near, yet he was so far to reach. She waited for a response from him. But silence was what she got. Her heart panged upon the apathetic reaction she had received from him.

"W-What about our bonds huh? Is it -" She was interrupted by his cold, masculine voice.

"I only shared one bond, that of hate with my brother."

Sakura insisted. He was in the wrong path and it was up to her to correct it.

"Hate will just burn you! Sasuke, don't be so blind!" she bellowed, her eyes closed and tears flowing freely.

"Hn. As expected... you're still annoying."

Sakura could tell that a smirk was graced on his face as he uttered those words. It hurt her to meet him only to be called annoying again. It made her feel that she had not improved at all. That she was the same Sakura he had left on the cold bench three years ago.

She ran the distance between them, her hand ready to strike a punch. Her mind was clouded with sadness and desperateness. He should stay, she would not let him go again. Even if he hurt her still mending heart again, she would stop him. Just as her hand was about to make contact with him, Sasuke turned around and grabbed it. He took hold of her fist that fit so perfectly on his calloused hand. Sakura looked at him, her eyes watery.

Emerald met the Sharingan.

One grave mistake that she had made. Her chance to convince him to stay vanished as she stared at those enchanting eyes.

"Sakura..."

Said person felt light-headed as her eye lids grew heavy. Her mind tried to fought the sleepiness away, but it was a futile attempt.

_'No. Not again...'_

"...I'm sorry..."

She fell to his arms unconscious but not before she mentioned his name which did not go unnoticed by him.

"Sasuke-kun..."

Sasuke stared down on the woman in his arms. Her eyes were closed but the tears kept running. His eyes changed back to its normal onyx hue, something that he had not done for a long period of time. His eyes traveled up toward the sky, where a few clouds hung low, moving ever so slowly. A rush of chilly wind blew past him and the person he was carrying. He made a few steps before disappearing in a blink of an eye. His real purpose of coming back forgotten for a moment.

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_A/N:_

_I've decided to edit this story, though only a few changes were made. I hope you enjoyed reading this, so don't forget to review._

_**12.16.06**_

_**ira-chan**_


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